A Japanese company is building the Mazda Miata to look like the C2 Chevrolet Corvette. | Mitsuoka photo

These will turn more than a few heads at your next car show

Those who missed out on buying an original C2 (second-generation) Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray will get another crack as a Japanese company is releasing a limited number of them. But there’s a catch: These are built on the Mazda Miata platform.

Mitsuoka’s Rock Star looks to be a fairly faithful re-creation of a Corvette produced between 1963 and 1967. It will be sold in three trim levels. The top version will be equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission, while the other two will have a 6-speed manual.

The cars will basically drive like a Miata. Each rear-wheel drive car will have the 1.5-liter Skyactiv 4-cylinder engine, capable of just 129 horsepower, that Mazda puts in cars made for overseas markets.

Only 50 will be made. Most won’t be purchased because of performance, but styling.

Engineers used clever styling tricks to pay homage to Chevrolet, such as projector headlights designed to mimic the Corvette’s flip-up headlights. From what we can tell, the only factory exterior Miata parts used are the doors and windshield.